In May 2020 ChoraChori supporters will have the opportunity to join Founder Philip Holmes on a trek to Everest Base Camp with the option of taking part in the annual Everest Marathon on the 29th May.

These days, with so many summiting Everest, a trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) may seem like a comparatively modest undertaking. That is far from being the case, with many fit people underestimating the challenge and failing to reach EBC through altitude sickness. Tragically, each year there are a number of fatalities. For at 5,364m above sea level, the air is very thin with oxygen levels just 50% of what they are at sea level. But for those who trek with a reputable, safe company, the risks are minimal while the rewards are outstanding and unforgettable.

Next year ChoraChori, in conjunction with Nepal partner The Gandys Foundation, offer this trek of a lifetime between 19th and 31st May. This, of course, is also a fundraising activity that will be central to raising the funds we need next year, including through an associated Big Give summer appeal. At the end of the trek, the really fit members of the group, suitably acclimatised, can take on the Everest Marathon, which is held on the 29th May each year (the anniversary of Hillary and Tenzing’s reaching the summit). Downhill all the way from EBC, what could be easier? Finally, before returning home trekkers will have the opportunity to visit our remarkable Children’s Refuge and Rehabilitation Centre (CRRC) in Kathmandu to see what the fundraising has been all about.

Full details, costs and itinerary can be found here. If you would like to join us, please don’t delay in contacting Philip as now is the time to be aiming off and preparing for such a major personal challenge.

We’re inviting participants in next year’s London Marathon to join ChoraChori Founder Philip Holmes and run in support of our work in Nepal.

This week Philip Holmes was shocked to secure a place in the 2019 London Marathon through the public ballot. After failing to do so for the past three years and with Father Time catching up on him he’d resigned himself to settling for his three previous medals – 2011, 2012 and 2015. But no, it’s time to stock up on the Lucozade Sport – that ceases to be enjoyable after the first bottle – and the various other bits and pieces that will (hopefully) ensure his survival.

With 414,000 applicants in the London Marathon public ballot there are an awful lot of disappointed aspiring runners out there and we wish we could help but unfortunately we never have an allocation of guaranteed places. Those are restricted to the older charities that were there at the ground floor when the London Marathon was first set up. However, if you are one of the lucky ones, perhaps you’d consider joining Philip in crossing the start line on the 28th April 2019? We don’t offer any fancy support packages – we’re not that sort of charity; instead we hope that a bit of mutual moral support during training and the knowledge that you’re running for such a worthwhile charity is enough to encourage you to join us.

If you’d like to become part of the team then drop Philip a line through this link.

Do you think you could cross Dartmoor in a day? You can find out on the 8th September 2018 by joining ChoraChori’s Founder, Philip Holmes, as he takes on his major charity challenge for this year.

The Dartmoor in a Day event is fast becoming one of the UK’s top endurance challenges. You can read all about this gruelling, yet stunningly beautiful, route through this link. In summary, it’s a 50km journey from north to south across the best that Dartmoor has to offer, fully supported by Climb South West. You can run it or walk it – take the dog if you like.

Philip’s attempt to run the route will be more than a major fundraising goal. It will also be a personal one as he is trying to overcome an injury that grounded him at the end of last year. Read his story through his fundraising page. Time, distance and physical incapacity are no excuse for not supporting him – you can still leave a little sponsorship on his page to encourage him along!

We hope that we can field a great team, and especially from our supporters in the southwest. If you are travelling from further afield and would like some advice – we are very happy to provide some local knowledge on travel and accommodation.

A remarkable charity challenge

“Hell and Back” has to be among one of the toughest mental and physical endurance challenges in Europe. You can test that assertion out for yourself by signing up today for an event that for sure you’ll never forget. It’s held each June and September in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Just take a look at what’s involved by clicking on the image on the left. The June event runs over 12km while the September one is a mere 7km. The entry fee for the former is €62 while the latter costs €56.

Supporting ChoraChori’s education projects in Nepal

Yes, there’s a purpose to the collective madness of Hell and Back. If you sign up to join our team you will be supporting our education programme in Nepal. In essence we have been doing our bit to help Nepal recover after the disastrous earthquakes of 2015. We have rebuilt three primary schools in devastated hill communities and are supporting their day to day running costs. Our challenge has been to not just erect classrooms that are stronger than before but also to restore the confidence of children and teachers. We are also providing computers and scientific equipment to one of Nepal’s best state secondary schools; Kitini School has achieved remarkable results in spite of being terribly under-resourced and it so deserves a helping hand.

How ChoraChori will help you get to Hell and Back

They say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Forget good intentions – this is a time to act for one of Nepal’s best children’s charities. The way to smooth the path for yourself is to sign up and then get going with some serious fundraising. And if you can raise a minimum sponsorship of £300 (or equivalent in any major currency) we’ll refund your entry fee!

To find out more check out the event website using the button below. Then e mail us if you’d like to join our intrepid team.

Could you go to Hell and Back for ChoraChori? March 10th, 2017Philip Holmes

Nepal International Marathon

ChoraChori is recruiting runners to take part in this year’s Nepal International Marathon. This challenging, scenic trail running event takes place each November and is held in the hills above Kathmandu.

Fancy taking on the run of a lifetime?

Applications are now open for this year’s Nepal International Marathon that the Impact Marathon Series will manage between 13th and 19th November 2017. The idea of the Nepal International Marathon is that you can run in support of a chosen Nepal charity project. During the course of the week you’ll get the opportunity to visit your project and get your hands dirty with a short local volunteering task. The magical part is that you and 120 fellow runners will stay in a pop up camp that the organisers set up in a stunning hill-top location.

Choose your camping style and running distance

There are three options – taking your own tent (£495), glamping (£645) or luxe glamping (£795). You can select a 10km, half marathon or full marathon route over trails that involve significant Nepalese undulations. Click the picture above left to get an idea of what it’s all about and to sense the amazing atmosphere. Not to mention the pain and the triumph of crossing the finish line!

Helping Nepali schools

Children enjoying a free lunch at a ChoraChori supported school

By choosing ChoraChori you will be raising sponsorship towards our education programme. Through this we have been reinstating education in the wake of the Nepal earthquakes of 2015. Those two massive earthquakes had a devastating impact on Nepali children. But we’ve risen to the challenge, rebuilding three schools. Additionally, we’ve provided vital short term revenue support to encourage attendances and reduce drop outs. That initiative makes children less vulnerable to trafficking.

Our preferred fundraising platform for UK participants is BT MyDonate. Although it has fewer bells and whistles than the other fundraising sites, it is undoubtedly the most cost-effective. You can find out more about the Nepal International Marathon and sign up through the button below. But please remember that November is a peak time to visit Nepal and flights become more expensive to book the longer you wait!

Following upon his design support to us in the first few months of this year UK architect volunteer Jonny Davies spent a couple of weeks visiting Nepal and ChoraChori last month. Here is his report on his visit. Now returned to the UK, Jonny can revisit plans for the building of our Kathmandu refuge, better informed from seeing the lie of the land first-hand. We’ll be good to go for the end of the monsoon.

Our Shanghai to Kathmandu cyclists have now returned to UK pending building plans being finalised, but before they left they were able to spend plenty of time with the Kathmandu refuge kids. And of course to enjoy some great Nepalese food!

ChoraChori Trustee Clotilde Hunter has been keeping busy for the past six months fundraising for the charity. This has involved a lot of training (and injuries!) preparing for not one but two marathons while baking and selling cakes and pastries for us in her spare time….

This has been a particularly huge effort for Clotilde as she is not a runner and when she took her place in the Champs Élysées last month it was for her first-ever marathon. Having conquered Paris with élan she turned her sights on Edinburgh and tomorrow will be her second – and, she says, last ever – marathon. So far she’s raised an incredible £5,293 (including Gift Aid) towards our work in Nepal and this is your last chance to join me in sponsoring her. You can do that online through this link or you can text her a fiver – see the instructions on the graphic. Many thanks and bon chance Clotilde!

On the 11th June ChoraChori Trustee Julie Graham will be running the arduous 10km Mourne Way run with four of our other Northern Irish supporters. The Mourne Way runs through an area of outstanding natural beauty in the mountains of the same name in the southeast of Northern Ireland.

We’re trying to recruit a few other runners to join the team and if you’d like to sign up you can still do so through this link. However if you prefer to be there in spirit rather than in body you can sponsor the team through this link. The sponsorship proceeds will be in support of our work in rebuilding a school destroyed by the earthquake at Chapakharka, Kavre District.

The public ballot for a place in the 2017 London Marathon opens today and closes at 5 p.m. on Friday 6th May. During that time a quarter of a million applicants are likely to submit their names for the 40,000 places that are available. The results will be announced in early October. If you’d like to join ChoraChori runners at the start line here is the ballot link. Good luck!

Run the London Marathon 2017 for Nepal May 2nd, 2016Philip Holmes

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